


Truth and Lies

by saltythebear



Category: Original Work
Genre: Gen, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-23
Updated: 2020-07-23
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:40:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25457137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saltythebear/pseuds/saltythebear
Kudos: 4





	Truth and Lies

“Why did you lie?”

A simple question, holding only curiosity, lacking malicious intent. He flinched. Not again.

She looked up at him, the smile that normally framed her features was absent, an uncharacteristic change that he-like the question-wasn’t prepared for.

“You told me that you’d be fine with the workload.” She continued, brown eyes dim reflections of the morning sun behind him. “You at least did the project, right?”

”Yeah.” He said, his face becoming more like stone than skin, his eyes hardening.

Another lie. He hadn’t started. It was due next week, he’d get it done before then, he _would_.

She nodded, smile returning.

***  
”Why did you lie to me?” The kind teacher asked, a week later. “You said it was done, that you wouldn’t miss the deadline again.”

”I’m sorry.” He said. And he was. It had slipped his mind, like it had the last time, and the time before that, and the time before that, and the _time before that,_ on and on and on until he could barely remember when he’d turned something other than homework in on time, and even then that was inconsistent.

The man looked at him, blue eyes staring at him behind his glasses. He sighed.

”I’ll give you three days to complete it. After that, I’m afraid I’ll have to mark it as a zero.”

”Yes sir.”

Liar.

***

Outside the school, people were everywhere. Not surprising as it was the end of the day. His house was only a few blocks down, and it wasn’t too hot out. He set off, already making plans for the project. A soft whirring outside his garage brought all those thoughts to a screeching halt.

“Hey man, we’re going biking, want to come with?”

He grinned, taking the offered helmet. “Sure.”

***

”Why are your grades this low?” His father asked. “I thought you said that you knew what you were doing in class!”

He trudged over, seeing the column of D’s and a couple of F’s-though there was a pair of B minus’-and frowned.

”I thought I did, too.” He said softly.

***  
He didn’t want to lie. He just had trouble remembering things. ADD, people called it when he told them about it. They were understanding, and they tried to help, but nothing they said worked.

 _Make a list,_ some had said, and that had worked best, when he remembered to do it.

 _Listen to music_ -that had been the worst one. He loved listening to music, and it both distracted him and provided ambience.

 _Ask for help-_ well that would be nice, if he knew _how.  
_

This wasn’t the first time something like this had happened. It wasn’t the first time he’d lied to almost everyone around him, simply because he’d forgotten the fucking thing he was supposed to be doing. Others thought he was unmotivated, or didn’t care, and he could see why. Past experience had shown a pattern.

”So,” his parents asked. His family asked. His friends asked. His teachers asked. “Why did you lie?”

 _Because you’d be disappointed,_ he didn’t say. _Because this has happened too many times, and I don’t want it to happen again._

Ironic.

I shrugged, tears springing from my eyes.

”I don’t know.” I lied.


End file.
